


Bittersweet and Strange

by Mysterious_Prophetess



Series: Bittersweet Memories [1]
Category: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Angst, Bad Ending...sort of?, Bittersweet Ending, Dragon Izuku, Gen, Spirited Away AU, Tuna's Spirited Away AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:07:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28620786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterious_Prophetess/pseuds/Mysterious_Prophetess
Summary: Bittersweet Ending One-Shot/DrabbleIzuku has defeated the Witch and saved his mother but it is too late for him.
Series: Bittersweet Memories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100699
Comments: 18
Kudos: 211





	Bittersweet and Strange

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tunafishprincess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tunafishprincess/gifts).



Izuku blinked tears from his eyes. He’d done it. He’d won the Witch’s game and his mother was now free and human. However, Izuku was still turning into a dragon. After he’d reclaimed his name with the destruction of his contract, he expected to become the boy he’d been. Except, beyond feeling more in control of his future, nothing had changed for Izuku. The horns, tail, ears, claws, and scales were still present. He still felt _other_.

_“Toshinori?”_

_“Yes, Young Deku?”_

_“When did you know that you were…no longer human?” Izuku fidgeted with the tuft of fur at the end of his tail._

_“That’s a difficult question to answer. I guess it’s when I realized I no longer felt like one.”_

Izuku now knew, deep down, he no longer felt human and would never again.

Then there was Lord Shigaraki and his…attentions. Izuku didn’t want his mom caught up in _that._ Not that he wanted it either.

She’d been so strong for him all these years and now….now it was his chance to be strong for her. To help shelter her like she’d always done for him.

His friend and mentor, Toshinori the Okami approached him in his humanoid form, hair like a sunflower, eyes like blue stars, and tail like a glowing ribbon of light, an image of a golden man which clashed terribly with his simple ragged white yukata.

“Toshinori, is there…a way for her to forget everything?” Izuku asked. Toshinori gave him a long serious look.

“Are you sure you want to do this, my boy? There’s still a chance—.”

“I asked you about when you knew? I _know_ ,” Izuku said. Toshinori gave him a bittersweet smile and pulled him into a hug. It was almost as good as being hugged by his mother. Still, tears fell; he was never going to grow out of being a crybaby was he? After several moments, Toshinori spoke.

“There is a way.”

* * *

The glamour felt…itchy. That was the best way to describe it as Izuku led his mother back to the way they’d came all those months ago—months that were mere moments in the human world. In his left hand was a peach.

“ _Spirits can leave the spirit world for but a few moments at sunset when our world and theirs crosses over._

_Take care not to linger too long, Young Deku, or you will fade as you might have before. Give her this._

_Once she had eaten it, simply tell her the things she’ll remember and the things she’ll forget._

_The magic will do the rest.”_

“It feels so surreal, Izuku. You’ll have plenty to tell your new classmates about your move,” Inko said happily.

“It is a strange and pretty park,” Izuku agreed. They reached the arch just as the sun began to set. Izuku cautiously stepped forward and was relived to see he still could. For now. Inko followed him.

“I could swear it wasn’t sunset when we stopped,” Inko said.

“It was close,” Izuku said. His hand trembled as he held up the peach,

“Are you hungry?” He asked her.

“Oh, thank you! Where’d you get it?”

“There was a peach stand selling them. The vendor said it tasted magical,” Izuku said.

“I’ll split it,” Inko said.

“That’s ok. I uh already had some fruit,” Izuku said waving his free hand. Inko took it and quickly took a bite. Izuku could _feel_ the spell taking hold. The peach was devoured before he even had time to process it.

Izuku knew what he had to do but standing there, seeing her….He wiped away a stray tear careful of his claws.

Izuku curled his fingers into his palm, the sharp tips the end of each a reminder of the truth. _There was no going back_.

_No matter what I look like right now…I’m not. She deserves to live her life as a human._

“I-I-I Inko Midoriya. You stopped here and had a lovely time in a strange but ordinary park. You are moving for a new job and a new life. You…You don’t…don’t have a son. You never had a son. You’ll move on with your life and start a family just like you’ve always wanted. You’ll be a great mother and you’ll forget you ever saw spirits or ever knew anyone named Izuku Midoriya, but…you’ll always know someone loved you a lot,” Izuku said. His voice cracked several times as he bit back sobs, his vision blurred from all the tears he shed.

Unable to bear it any longer, Izuku turned and fled back into the tunnel. He stood watching her from the Land of Spirits as the spell took hold and she returned to the car and drove away. He saw the few boxes of his things fade from existenceinside the car the further away she got. By the time she reached her new home, there would be no trace of Izuku Midoriya ever having existed in the human world beyond scant half-memories and dreams. At least, that’s what Toshinori promised.

Izuku stood there, tears falling well into the night. Once the tears had stopped he took a breath and scrubbed at his face to dry it. An itch reminded him of the glamour he still wore, so he tossed it off.

Izuku looked over the lands spread out before him, free for the the first time to set out wherever he pleased.

_Time to start again…_

**Author's Note:**

> For Tunafishprincess whose AU (being one of my two favorite Ghibli films ever, the other is _Kiki's Delivery Service_ ) took over my brain as I imagined stuff for it. This super angsty but bittersweet ending being one of them.  
> It's a bit rough but the idea wouldn't let my brain go until I wrote it down.


End file.
